Improved fence



N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHDGRAPHER, WAS-MINGTON D C Nirnn STATES PATENTOFFICE.,

MARCUS BROWN, OF FOND DU LAC, AND OSCAR J. SHANNON, OF FAIR- WATER,WISCONSIN. p

AIMPRovl-:D FENCE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 16,54 I, dated February2S, 1865.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MARcUs BROWN, of `Iiadoga, Fond du Lac county, andState of Wisconsin, and OscAR J. SHANNON, of Fairwater, in said countyand State, have invented a new and Improved Portable Fence; and we dohereby declare that the following` is a full and exact descriptionthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

The object of our invention in that class of fences designated asportable fences is to provide a cheap and durable fence, and one whichshall be rigid when placed in position, but which can readily be takendown 7 or put up77 when such operations become necessary, for thepurpose of transportation or otherwise, as the case may be.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, wewill proceed to describe the same with reference to the annexeddrawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of our im- Avprovedfence, Fig. 2, a view showing the peculiar formation of the posts; andFig. 3, a view in section, slightly different in construct-ion, but thesaine in principle as in Fig. l.

- As indicated in the figures, a a are posts, which inclose, or betweenwhich are clasped, the lapped ends of the panel-boards b, and thedistance between these posts a a" constitute a panel of the fence.Central of the length of each panel auxiliary posts are secured for thepurpose of giving rmness and rigidity to the whole structure when inposition, as represented in Fig. 1'. On the inner and abutting faces ofthe posts c a' mortises, as at c, are cut of a depth and length tocorrespond with the width and thickness of the panel-boards, so thatwhen the latter are in place within the former, as indicated in thedrawings, the inner faces of the posts will adjoin or abut, or nearlyso. One of these posts in general form and outline is made rectangularthroughout, while its fellow at its lower extremity, as at d, is beveledoft' on its inner face, and, as at d, at its upper extremity on itsouter face. None of the posts named are intended to enter the ground,but are made with their lower ends square, for the purpose of assistingin the maintenance of their vertical position upon the ground when thefence is 'the fence, while its opposite end is upon the outside. Weprefer the latter arrangement, in view of rigidity when the fence isonce erected 5 but the former arrangement admits of the erection of thefence in somewhat less time.

For binding the posts a c together securely, metallic bands e e, usuallymade of strong wire, are provided, and within which the bot- I tom oftheposts a a are inserted when in the act of erecting the fence. Thesebands e aie only large enough to inclose the bottom of the posts whenthe latter are inserted therein, as shown in Fig. 2, in which positionthe beveltd portion d lits snugly against the inner face, or a portionthereof, of the post c. Having thus inserted the posts a c' within theband e, they are xthen forced together into the position shown in Fig;l, and secured together by dropping over their upper ends theholding-band e, the beveled part d at the top of the posts a readilyadmitting of the proper application of the holding-band.

It will thus be seen that by the act of drawing the posts together aftertheir insertion within the band e a leverage-power is exerted to causethe lower ends of the posts to be firmly set within the band c, andwhich will cause this band to seat itself in the wood of the post,thereby holding the posts together with great security, and at'the sametime preventing any liability of the slipping off of the band e from thebottom of the posts.

To provide against the action ofthe winds, stakes, as at j', aredrivenin the ground on both sides of the fence, to which stay-wires aresecured, as at g, the same being passed around the posts a a', asindicated in Fig. l; and to provide against the racking7 of the fence ina longitudinal direction, stay-wires, as at It, and stakes, as at t, arecombined with the posts a c at such intermediate distances as may bedeemed necessary for its security.

In Fig. 3 we have shown the post a with mortises of sufficient depth cuttherein to embrace nearly the thickness of the overlapped ends ofthepanel-boards, thereby rendering it unnecessary to eut any mortises inthe post a. As shown in lines in this gure, the post a is set in theground; but the binding ofthe posts together by the band e is the sameas heretofore described.

We would here state that We do not mean to confine ourselves to the vapplication of the bevels d and d to either one of the posts a ci',since, Whether applied to the one or the other ot' said posts theleverage and binding effect is the same.

The advantages of this inode of constructing fences are obvious: First,the size, length, and hence the cost, of the posts is less than theordinary board fence; second, the building is less than half thetrouble; third, the decay of posts when placed in the ground is avoidedfourth, the breaking of nails, cost ot'` same, and splitting of theboards in driving nails is avoided. The fence at any time may be madetaut simply by driving down the stakes, or by laying a stone or other4Weight upon the stay-Wires; sixth, if anyr portion ot'y a panel becomesbroken it can be replaced without disturbing an adjoining portion 5seventh, any one of the lengths or panels can be renoved and a gap orgateway made Without disturbing other parts or injuring the `mate- 1.Constructing. a fence with posts having bevels d d', substantially asand for the purpose set lforth.

2. The bands e, or their equivalent in conibination with beveled posts aa, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Witness our hands in` matter of our application for a patent forimproved fence.

osoAn J. SHANNON. MARCUS BROWN.

Witnesses to` signature of Oscar JfShanllOIlZ R. T. CAMPBELL, E.SGHAFER. vWitnesses to signature of Marcus Brown GEORGE GATES,

F. CHrr'rENDEN.

